Level 3 Announces VoIP Partner Program In Europe

Program will enable companies to offer VoIP and other services to small and medium-sized business customers.

Level 3 Communications has announced a channel partner program in Europe, in which resellers can offer Level 3's Voice-over-IP and other services to their small and medium-size business customers. The program will debut in the United Kingdom and will expand into other European markets over 2005.

The Level(3) Enabled program includes training on Level 3 services and a web-based portal for aiding in partner relationships. Level 3 also provides partners with billing, set up, provisioning and Network Operations Centre (NOC) support, along with demand-generation and marketing programs. Partners are expected to include value-added resellers, ISPs, switchless resellers and alternative carriers.

Level 3 will initially focus its partner-recruitment and sales efforts around (3)Tone Business, its hosted VoIP offering for small and medium-sized enterprises. Other services to be sold through the program in the future include Internet access and IP VPNs.

"Voice-over-IP is revolutionizing the business of telecom by enabling more companies to compete effectively in the enterprise space," Brady Rafuse, president of European operations for Level 3 said in a statement. "Through the Level(3) Enabled program, Level 3 will serve as their network partner, providing connectivity, expertise and support, while they focus their efforts on sales, marketing and customer care."

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